If you have a flexible spending account through work, there's a decent chance you're sitting on money that will vanish in the next few weeks.
Most healthcare FSAs run on a calendar year, which means the funds you set aside in January have to be spent by December 31.
Miss that date and the balance goes back to your employer.
The average employee contributes somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000 a year to these accounts, and surveys consistently find that a meaningful chunk of workers forfeit part of it.
The money comes out of your paycheck before taxes, which is why it feels painless in January and painful in December.
You never saw it, so you never missed it — until you realize you can't use it.
The good news is that you don't need a medical emergency to spend it down.
FSA dollars cover a much wider list of items than most people assume, and a lot of it can be ordered online in one sitting.
Start with the boring stuff you'll definitely use: contact lenses and solution, prescription glasses, bandages, thermometers, blood pressure monitors, heating pads, and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers, cold medicine, and allergy pills have been eligible without a prescription since 2020.
That alone is worth a trip down the pharmacy aisle.
Then there's the category people forget entirely.
So do breast pumps and lactation supplies.
Acne treatments, dental cleanings, orthodontia payments, and even some travel-size first aid kits are eligible.
If you've been putting off a dentist visit or a new pair of glasses, December is the month to schedule it.
You can also use FSA funds for certain services that don't require insurance to kick in first.
Vision exams, hearing tests, chiropractic visits, and mental health counseling often qualify.
Check your specific plan's list before you book, since employers can customize what's allowed.
One more thing worth knowing: many plans offer a grace period or a small carryover, but not all of them, and the rules vary.
A grace period usually extends your deadline to March 15 of the following year.
A carryover lets you roll a limited amount, often around $600, into the next plan year.
Contact your HR department or log into your benefits portal to find out which one applies to you.
If neither applies and you're staring at a balance with days to go, you can book appointments now for January and pay at the time of service.
You can also stock up on eligible items through retailers like Amazon, Walgreens, and CVS, which have dedicated FSA storefronts that flag what qualifies.
Just be careful: not everything in those sections is automatically approved, so keep your receipts.
The deadline is real, and it doesn't care that December is busy.
Spending an hour this week is a lot easier than watching a few hundred dollars disappear.
The uncomfortable truth about FSAs is that they reward people who plan and punish people who don't.
If your employer offers one, it's still usually worth using — you're saving on taxes either way.
Final Thoughts
But treat the deadline like a bill you have to pay, because in a sense, it is.